Title: Rumble Strips to be Installed for Safety on U.S. 50/Mound House

Story Text:

The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT), in close cooperation with Lyon County, is scheduled to install centerline rumble strips for enhanced safety on nearly 10 miles of U.S. 50 in the Mound House area beginning approximately Dec. 19, weather permitting.

Consisting of parallel grooves cut into the middle centerline of a roadway, tires running over the rumble strips produce sound and vibration when drivers veer out of their lane. By alerting and allowing motorists to correct their vehicles, head-on crashes can be reduced.

The rumble strips will be installed from near Centennial Drive in Carson City to just east of the State Route 341 Virginia City exit. The majority of work will be performed during weekday daytime hours with up to 20-minute delays and single-lane closures to safely guide motorists through the work area. Motorists are advised to drive at posted construction speed limits, or slower as necessary for conditions.

The approximately $28,000 project, performed by Diversified Concrete Cutting, follows a separate project that installed 140 miles of rumble strips on two-lane rural state roadways in northwestern Nevada in spring 2011, including nearly 45 miles elsewhere in Lyon County. In total, NDOT has installed more than 2,840 miles of centerline rumble strips statewide since 2008.

“The U.S. 50 rumble strips, and the rumble strips that have been installed across the state, are aimed at helping to save lives,” NDOT Director Susan Martinovich explained.

“Tragically, there have been head-on crashes in this area of U.S. 50, and this is one measure to help prevent any further tragedies,” Lyon County Manager Jeff Page said. “NDOT and Lyon County are committed to the highest level of road safety, and we’re working closely together on other road safety improvements to be installed in this area over future years. But, in the end, safety is the responsibility of every driver, and we urge motorists to always drive safely and attentively.”

The use of centerline rumble strips was developed as one cost-effective way to reduce fatalities and increase safety in the state’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan. The plan brings law enforcement, transportation agencies and safety advocates together to define ways to reduce Nevada traffic fatalities. NDOT offers driving safety information on-line at www.nevadadot.com/safety.